Birth Switch
by CandyIsGoodForYou
Summary: A strange occurring happens the night Rapunzel was captured. Instead Gothel came up with the idea to switch identical babies so that the king and queen would not notice. This was almost 18 years ago. But when the princesses collide, one will discover she is far from real royalty.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I awoke to the sound of Maria ringing the breakfast bell.

"Come in!" I answered to her.

"Good mornin' me lady. Poached egg on toast today. Orange juice with a side of cinnamon apples, just how you like it!"

"You are always the best! What are my royal duties today?"

"Your father says he'll talk to you 'bout them at the royal dining room table. He is preparin' for the feast tomorrow. The one for your…"

"My birthday!" I exclaimed, "Please leave me now so that I may change."

"Of course me lady." I suddenly had a thought that brightened my day. My birthday! Mother and father would release lanterns into the air for my 18th birthday! I felt better especially since I'd had that dream I always did the day before my birthday.

_I wake up. I'm in the village, in a rickety carriage. A strange old hag comes into my room. She peers around the room before spotting me in the corner. She scoops me up and I begin to cry. She puts a gnarled finger to my lips, which makes me cry even harder. She rushes me out of the house and sneaks through the village. Suddenly she begins to climb a rope up to the palace. Surprisingly nimble for an old woman, she reaches the top of the rope and sneaks in through the balcony. There, laying perfectly still is another baby, that I'm pretty sure looks just like me. Except for our eyes. And our hair. Hers eyes are a stunning green. And yes, we are both blonde, but she's got one strand of hair that is brown and shorter. The old hag reaches in for that baby and puts me in. After she escapes through the door, I look around. This place is not familiar. It's luscious, but not familiar. I begin to cry. A strange woman and man rush in, I've never seen them before, but they pick me up and shush me and bring me to their bed to snuggle. This is home, I think._

It's a silly dream. I don't know what it means, and I've never told anyone else. It's best that I don't. I dress in my favorite purple gown. My mother doesn't like it because she says it's too peasant like, but I love it. I make my way down the grand staircase.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Hey blonde, come here," Eugene called. I whooshed past him and grabbed his hand. "Whoa!" We made our way into town. It was wonderful! Some nice girls made the best braid I ever had, Eugene and I went to the library, had an endless path to paint on, and filled up on a cupcake or two!

Although the town seemed a little dull, so I started an old folk dance I used to do with my mother in our tower… our tower. I tried not to think of it. The dance got faster and faster until the end. By then I saw a short glance of a girl that looked… wait, like me! It was too late to stop spinning, I crashed into her as the dance ended. Everybody scattered like bugs, except for Eugene and that other girl, who I was still on top of.

"I'm so sorry… Princesses," I apologized as I realized her crown and hair neatly tucked back in a large bun.

She straightened up, "I apologize as well… oh my, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, you look just like me."

"Whoa, blonde, double you? Well, hi," he flirted with the new girl. I smacked him a little. We were dressed in identical clothing, our hair the same color, our body, our complexion, but not our eyes. Hers were blue, a crystal blue.

"What's your name? Mine is-," we said at the same time, "Rapunzel." Eugene sputtered.

"I must take you to the palace," she said. This was obviously too strange.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Excuse me, pardon me madam," I said, out of breath, as we pushed past the endless villagers going about their normal business. _Is this happening, the day of my birthday?_ I thought. I was so unsure how this girl was connected to me, but I knew she was somehow. We finally reached the castle gates. The girl, Rapunzel (the other me) gasped.

"It's the princesses here, please let us in." Before he could ask about the strangers trailing behind me, I went straight through the gates.

"This has been an odd day," said the, uh, what did she say his name was? Eugene? The guards stared at him sketchily in the shadows. I was getting more uneasy about this lot.

"Rapunzel, honey?"

"Yes?" we said at the same time.

"Who…?" my father asked as he slowly walked down the staircase?

"Father, this is Rapunzel," I waited for a gasp of disbelieving, but known such came, "I found her in the village. Do we not look the same?"

"Honey?" my father called for my mother.

"We dreaded this day would come," my father explained.

My mother came down, "When you were born – I mean, when either of you were born – you were born with green eyes," she gestured towards the other Rapunzel, "but after a while we noticed they were blue," she gestured towards me. "We didn't know what had happened until now. My babies! You were switched at birth by… Honey, green eye Rapunzel, who do you live with?"

"Mother Gothel."

"No Honey, she's not your real mom. I am!" she said as she opened up her arms. I felt hurt, and alone. If she wasn't my mom, who was?


End file.
